ANGOLA: WFP approves new three-year $87 million programme

LUANDA, 24 Feb 2006 (IRIN) - The World Food Programme (WFP) has committed to staying a further three years in Angola, providing it can raise the $87 million it needs to fund its school feeding programme and other activities.

WFP's executive board approved the new aid programme at a meeting in Rome earlier this week, in which the United Nations food agency shifted away from general food distribution and focused more on children in primary schools, health and nutrition programmes for children and young women and improving the livelihoods of returning refugees.

Almost three decades of civil conflict have taken their toll on Angola's capacity to develop, and, despite some progress made since the advent of peace in April 2002, Angola still needs help from the international community.

"There are two main thrusts to this programme. Giving food to the hungry is of course a large part of it, but there is a substantial capacity-building component in which we will help the government to take over the activities we are carrying out now," Rick Corsino, WFP's representative in Angola, told IRIN.

"I believe this will be our last food aid intervention in Angola ... After 2008, the government will assume responsibility, but for this to be successful, the international community cannot suddenly suspend their support. Our reduction has to ensure Angola gains the capacity to do the job," he added.

WFP's school-feeding programme, which last year provided around 165,000 pupils with a nutritious lunchtime meal, will expand as funds come in. WFP will also work closely with the Ministry of Education in Luanda as well as at the provincial level to pass on planning, monitoring and management capabilities, Corsino said.

Such school-feeding programmes have shown to directly increase rates of matriculation and school attendance, while at the same time helping to reduce the drop-out rate and improve children's concentration and learning ability.

In Angola, the programme will also include the rehabilitation and construction of schools and latrines, the provision of drinking water, as well as HIV/AIDS and landmine awareness.

"Children are the future of this country. By investing in children's basic education we are contributing to the country's development and creating a literate and self-sufficient society," Corsino said.

Other projects are aimed at supporting Angola's health sector through food distribution to pregnant women and nursing mothers, as well as those suffering from illnesses whose treatment depends on adequate nourishment, such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, sleeping sickness, leprosy and pellagra.

In the first months of the programme, which will run from April this year to April 2009, WFP will continue providing food aid to returned refugees still in need of assistance. Longer term, it will put in place food-for-work programmes to help them re-establish themselves in the difficult post–resettlement period.

Corsino said donor nations present at the Rome gathering had looked favourably on the new plan, but experience has shown that it is not always easy to gather the necessary cash to implement the ideas. Some of WFP's recent food aid operations had to be scaled back due to lack of funding, and Corsino warned that the roll-out of this current school feeding plan would only go ahead if the agency had sufficient funds to see the project through.

"When we had a big relief component, it was easier to attract donors. Now that we are moving more into recovery there is not nearly as much money available to us," he said. "Now we've got approval, we have to get the funding."

The Angolan government has already pledged $10 million to the programme and has left the door open to increasing its contribution as of 2007.

The programme will require 109,000 tonnes of food aid to meet its aim of feeding on average 525,000 beneficiaries per month.

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